JMU joins regional economic-development consortium
Staff Report
James Madison University has joined a consortium of select universities from Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. that is designed to drive regional innovation, economic performance and global competitiveness.
The Chesapeake Crescent Innovation Alliance (CCIA) stated that JMU’s partnership with SRI International and its dedicated approach to undergraduate research make it a natural fit for the consortium. In addition to JMU, CCIA members are Georgetown University, George Mason University, George Washington University, Howard University, Johns Hopkins University, the University System of Maryland, University of Virginia and Virginia Tech. Continue reading “JMU joins regional economic-development consortium” »
SRI marks formal grand opening
Story by Chris Graham
With AFP Video
It’s nearly been three years since state leaders announced the move of SRI International to locate its East Coast research and development headquarters north of Harrisonburg. Local and state officials marked the formal grand opening of SRI’s new Center for Advanced Drug Research on Monday afternoon.
“Today, we celebrate an important milestone in SRI’s history, as SRI Shenandoah Valley dedicates a beautiful building that holds great promise for important research in infectious disease,” said Curtis Carlson, the president and CEO of SRI. Continue reading “SRI marks formal grand opening” »
Better late than never
It’s good to hear Steve Landes say he will work “as a leader for our area to build our local and state economy, especially during this economic downturn.” Question – what took you so long in getting here?
The only thing I can think of where he has done anything to “build our local and state economy” was participate on the periphery of the effort to bring SRI International to the Valley back in 2006, and that was much more a deal involving the local economic-development folks in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, the Shenandoah Valley Partnership, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and the governor’s office than it was anything to do with our local Republican legislators. Continue reading “Better late than never” »
Waynesboro at a crossroads
We all knew that we were on the verge of an economic downturn. I was selling one approach to dealing with what was to come – redoubling efforts in the economic-development sphere with an eye toward working to attract new industry in recognition of the apparent fact that the plant on the South River overlooking downtown wasn’t going to be here forever. The other side took a different approach, seeking and receiving the endorsement of the labor union representing workers at the Invista plant based largely on the idea that the troika’s stated opposition to a fee structure for providing a stable source of money for long-needed improvements to our city stormwater system would save the plant and keep the city economy going the way it has the past 80 years, and on top of that, hey, when times get tough, who’s going to make sure that your taxes don’t get out of line? Continue reading “Waynesboro at a crossroads” »
